Remarks on the Employment of Females as Practitioners in Midwifery. By a Physician.
Channing, Walter 1820Published by Cummings & Hilliard, BostonLocation of original: Countway Rare Books, Harvard University

guarded against, but would
be unnoticed by the accoucheur. And besides this danger that the first
attack of the disease will not be met in due season, we are to consider
how much connexion the occurrences of the labour may have had in the production
of the disease, and how much influence they probably ought to have upon
the treatment. It is in vain to say that these may be inquired into and
ascertained from the accoucheur; this is not and cannot be satisfactory.
There is a certain familiarity with the state of the patient, an insight
into the laws by which the changes taking place during her confinement
and sickness are governed, all intimate knowledge of the expense of constitutional
strength at which the labour has been accomplished, and of the resources
the system has yet in reserve, to support it under any farther difficulty,
which are only to be acquired by an observation of the entire case. Every
physician feels, though I fear none but a physician can be made to understand,
how necessary is this view of the whole case to enable him to form his
best judgment and give his best advice. Every one must have felt, not
only in this, but in every other department of practice, how embarrassing
it is to be called in to a case somewhat advanced, the treatment of which
has been already commenced, without the advantage which a consultation
with the previous physician affords; and even then, unless his attendance
be also continued, how difficult it is to keep distinctly in the mind
a fair outline of the case connected with the circumstances which occurred
at first.